The invention relates to methods for discouraging the counterfeiting of bank drafts. More particularly, the invention relates to the use of holograms with bank drafts for discouraging the counterfeiting of same.
The banking industry is engaged in an arms race with forgers to discourage the use of counterfeit bank draft forms in connection with the crime of forging checks. The ability of forgers to duplicate blank bank draft forms and other security documents has been greatly enhanced by the advent of the new generation of high resolution color graphic desktop publishing systems and duplicating machines. Holograms have now been introduced as an anti-counterfeit measure and are incorporated into many security documents and devices so as to increase the difficulty of their duplication.
A method for mass producing holograms for use with security documents and devices has been disclosed by Dennison (WO 8903760, incorporated herein by reference). Dennison discloses a thermoplastic coating of metallized paper and/or heat-resistant plastic substrates which may be employed for embossing holographic patterns onto such substrates at high speed. If it is desired to print non-holographic information or art work atop the holographic pattern, the hologram may be covered with a coating of ink compatible primer. However, after such printing is complete and before such holograms are released to the public, the holograms are conventionally coated with a laminated covering of ink incompatible material so as to protect the integrity of the holographic image during handling and so as to deter its duplication.